Antoine Wright - He's On Fire!

I think I'm going to have to go out and buy an Antoine Wright Jersey now...

He obviously needs to be coached into playing shut-down defense but lately, between Kobe and Wade, he's been playing like the best wing defender in franchise history! If the staff can coach him into being this way consistantly I'd have no problems having him on this team long-term...

Wright was a starter (albeit for an injured player) last year for the Mavs in the west and so had the usual assignment of covering Kobe and that position. Defense is not typically his problem. Taking inadvisable shots is. He made a big (and open) one last night.

Ha ha Edgar I love your avatar and signature! That Tom Chambers dunk was unbelievable! I remember it was one of the signature dunks in Sega's NBA LIve '95!

Anyway, when Wright was brought in he was said to be a lockdown defender and the kind of wing player we needed. He hasn't really panned out so far this season by not making the open shots, being an average defender on a very bad defensive team and usually only being used sparingly if at all. It would be great if he starts playing more consistent defense and starts hitting the open shots more often.

Everyone is talking about who should be traded and who we should bring in, but wouldn't it be great if everyone that we currently have starts to play the way they were expected to (or even better) and we actually turn into the team that everyone wants us to?

I’m not sure Antoine Wright’s played a better game this season that he did against Miami and he was a huge part of the result.

Two plays back-to-back stood out.

Near the end of the third quarter, he wheels and deals in the lane (not a warp speed but with some determination) and misses a Marco-esque layup. But to his credit, he stays with it, grabs the rebound, gets up another shot the refs say was goal-tended, gets fouled and makes the free throw.

The next Miami possession – and this was a good play I bet few noticed – the Heat miss a shot. There are four or five guys battling pretty hard for the miss but Wright sneaks past them and steals the miss along the baseline. Heady play.

Wright's effort and play of late is what Raps fans have been waiting for all season. If he keeps this up maybe it would be better not to trade him-like the rumours suggest will happen. We will need his defensive presence most come playoff time.

Wright's effort and play of late is what Raps fans have been waiting for all season. If he keeps this up maybe it would be better not to trade him-like the rumours suggest will happen. We will need his defensive presence most come playoff time.

22 pts, 10 rbs in last 2 games. Guards Kobe on the Lakers final 2 possessions.